I'm still having trouble loading up pictures and with the internet in general, so haven't blogged much of late. I was going to blog tonight about what we have been up to over half term, but my phone (with the photos on) needs charging up. Plus, it all seems a bit trite in view of a terrible tragedy that happened over the weekend. The lovely young boy who lived next door died in a car crash yesterday. It takes my breath away. His family and friends are in our thoughts and prayers. God bless you, Jack. X

Book week

I think it must nearly be my blogaversary! It is book week again and it was about this time last year that I started my blog. The children went to school today dressed as... can you guess?

Nanny McPhee and Doctor Who. Yes, I suppose these characters are better known for film and tv, but these two fans have read the books. They both read/listen to Doctor Who stories. There are loads of them in the local library. And I recently found 'Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang' in paperback, also at the library which Honor loved. They haven't seen the film yet. Henry wanted a 'David Tennant' hairdo but it was better suited to a 'Matt Smith' coiffeur.

I've enjoyed looking back over this blog to see what we have done over this past year and how much the children have grown. So I think I shall continue it for a while longer.

Hope's progress

Hope is now eighteen months old and learning fast. She is feeding herself well (if you don't mind the mess), linking words to make sentences and is running around. It is challenging finding ways to keep children this young entertained.

Today we got out the tin of stockmar beeswax crayons (very nice, waldorf style crayons) and she enjoyed having a bit of a doodle.

She loves books, too and had me read these ones to her over and over again!

After that I took her to a nearby garden centre, Bybrook Barn at Ashford, where they had lots of entertaining things to see. A pet centre that sells chickens, a duck pond and the Christmas displays were fabulous. Full sized dioramas depicting scenes from traditional fairy stories such as Hansel and Gretal, Jack and the Beanstalk and Little Red Riding Hood with moving figures. Lovely.

Catch up.

I've been having a few problems lately with blogging. Difficulties loading pictures and the internet connection being temperamental and just not having time for it with everything else going on.

Today is Saturday. I usually give HM a maths lesson on a Saturday morning and we usually end up doing loads of housework and diy jobs, homework, that sort of thing. I fancied a bit of a break from all that this weekend and suggested that we have a day out, courtesy of our National Trust membership. The weather forecast looked good too. We chose Scotney Castle in Tunbridge Wells for a picnic and a walk.

There was a stately home to look around, an old ruin of a castle and beautiful gardens.

This is the ice house - used as a fridge in the old days.
There are guided tours available on the various fungi that can be seen at the moment.
I think we all enjoyed the day out.

These last two photos are from two weeks ago. Henry broke his wrist at school and he had to attend 2 hospital appointments in one day. The first one, in the morning, was at Canterbury hospital - his annual check-up for his lazy eye. He had to have drops put in which dilate his pupils. I had to have this done when I was young and I remember how uncomfortable it feels when you come outside. I offered him my sunglasses to wear.

The bra bank (above) caught my eye among the vast array of recycling bins available. Never seen a bra bank before!

Then we spent the afternoon in the fracture clinic of the William Harvey, Ashford. It was packed and poor Henry was getting a bit worn out by it all. The ladies in the X-Ray room were fantastic though. Some people are very good at getting children to cooperate with what needs to be done.

S'all for now.